Flying Squirrel Bar is a trendy bar on Chattanooga’s South Side, serving beer, wine, cocktails, and a variety of small plates.

If you guys haven’t noticed, I have a hard time getting to restaurants that aren’t open during the day on the weekend…hence the fact that it took me literally years to try out Flying Squirrel Bar. Well, actually, they are open during the day on Sundays, but I am not one to stomach long waits so we haven’t trekked down there for Sunday brunch.

We went a couple of weeks ago on Wednesday night, and even fairly early on a weeknight found the inside basically overflowing. We opted to sit outside, which turned out to be okay as, even though it was seriously hot outside, it was fairly breezy and mostly shady (though we were pretty sweaty by the time we left).

Our server, Ben, caught up with us quickly with drink and food menus and got Philip’s beer to him quickly. He didn’t have to do much talking to talk us into pimento cheese ($8), made with Sweetwater Valley cheese, topped with bacon jam, and served with crostini. It was a little bit spicy and the delicious creamy saltiness was great on top of the crispy medallions of bread, and Ben kept our supply of crostini well-stocked.
It took me basically zero seconds flat to settle on the Cuban tacos ($13) – corn tortillas filled with mojo pork shoulder, pork belly, red dragon cheese, mustard, and diced pickles. Like a perfect Cuban sandwich, all of the flavors complemented each other perfectly, especially given the perfectly cooked pork belly. These were some of the most amazing tacos that I have ever eaten…I ate all three and honestly could have eaten three more.
I had heard a lot of great things about the fried chicken at Flying Squirrel, and Philip decided to give it a try. He got the single order of original chicken ($7 – the double order – two thighs and legs – is $12, and you can get spicy instead of original if you like). The chicken was crispy and well seasoned, and just a little bit spicy. I will admit that I was a little surprised that the fried chicken was just that – fried chicken in a bowl. As someone who eats in a lot of restaurants, I should have known that if no side dishes were listed, no side dishes would come with it. Philip was fine with no sides, but if you want a side be sure to order some chips or fries to go with.
We enjoyed our dinner at Flying Squirrel Bar. It’s definitely a cool place architecturally, and it’s also clearly a cool place as far as the locals go too. The food is worth trying. At $35.59 for a beer, pimento cheese, tacos, and some fried chicken, it’s not the least expensive but it’s on par with other similar spots. It’s definitely a hotspot so you might want to do a little research on the best time to go.

Flying Squirrel Bar is located at 55 Johnson Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408. They are open Tuesday – Thursday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday – Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (bar open till 4 p.m.). Interestingly, I did not find a phone number for Flying Squirrel; instead I found an email address: contact@flyingsquirrelbar.com. For more information, you can check out their website, flyingsquirrelbar.com. You can also like Flying Squirrel on Facebook, and follow them on Instagram (@squirrelbar) and Twitter (@squirrelbar).

Okay, so this doesn’t directly involve the blog…not yet anyway…but something has been in the works for a while and here it is:

Philip went and bought a craft beer store.
Yep, that’s right. He’s been working at Sigler’s Craft Beer & Cigars for a year and some change now and he and some partners officially took over the store yesterday.

At the moment we are mildly freaking out. Business ownership is a huge step. I mean, this blog is a business but, you know, no inventory or overhead or any of that mess. So, we’re probably going to lay low on the restaurant posts for a little bit. I mean, I will still do some but just maybe not one a week for a while. You know, for money-saving and all. Also because time, which is something that Philip doesn’t have a lot of right now (I promise you some budget-friendly meal posts, though!).
If you’re in Chattanooga or nearby, or even if you just drive through Chattanooga sometime, we’d love it if you’d stop by Sigler’s and see Philip (or Phil, ahem…I just can’t get used to that. I will never call him Phil. Amen and amen.
So…Sigler’s Craft Beer & Cigars is a tasting room and retail bottle shop. You can stop by for a flight or a pint and pick up some bottles while you’re there. They also (obviously) sell cigars if you’re so inclined. They’re not really “closing” per se, but they’ll be having their grand “re-opening” on August 18 with a tap takeover by Reformation Brewery, so you should stop in and see them!
Sigler’s Craft Beer and Cigars is located at 1309 Panorama Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37421. They are open Sunday 12-5, Monday – Thursday 12-8, and Friday – Saturday 10-8. You can call them at (423) 485-3271. And be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Philip does lots of videos, so you can see more of this crazy guy I married!

Cherokee Brewing and Pizza is a brewery and pizza restaurant located in downtown Dalton, Georgia serving housemade pizzas and a variety of craft beers.

So…you guys should have gotten this post back in March. Except I got a new phone immediately after I ate there and my photos weren’t in my cloud…so I lost them. Oops.

Philip actually discovered Cherokee Brewing and Pizza Company when he went down there with one of his friends. He brought me back a couple of slices of pizza and I was pretty impressed, so we got back down there pretty quickly. He was not too sad about going back a third time, since they have a good selection of craft beers on tap, some of them that are not available in Chattanooga, including their own brews.

We went a little after lunch on a Saturday afternoon. There were quite a few people in there but I wouldn’t call it crowded. We sat at the bar…if you sit at the bar, the bartender will take your food and drink order. If you sit at a table, you order at the counter and then if you want a drink you can go to the bar to get it.

We each decided to get a salad – I got a house salad with homemade ranch dressing, and Philip got a Caesar salad. The first time we went we shared a large Caesar salad and it was big enough for a family of six. The house salad, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato, cucumber, and red onion. A lot of thinly sliced red onion. If I had known that, I would have ordered it without the onion…but the salad was delicious otherwise. The Caesar salad was good – fresh, crispy lettuce with creamy Caesar dressing, shaved Parmesan, and croutons (boxed). The small salads were $4 each.
As for pizza, we contemplated the Hot Mess Chick with housemade pesto, pulled smoked chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmesan ($11.50), the Big John with BBQ sauce, pulled smoked pork, jalapeño, pineapple, white cheddar, and mozzarella ($11), and the Heavy D with Buffalo sauce, smoked pulled chicken, garlic, provolone, and mozzarella ($11.50). Ultimately, we settled on the Heavy D. The bartender brought us some ranch dressing to eat with the pizza as well.
The pizzas at Cherokee Brewing and Pizza Company are a perfect size for two hungry people or three not-so hungry people. The crust is thin, crispy around the edges, and just chewy enough. The toppings ratio was great – not too much or too little of anything. If you’re hesitant to order the Heavy D because you are afraid it might be too spicy, don’t be. It has just a tiny bite, but I had no trouble eating it. In the past, we have tried the Big’s (red sauce, pepperoni, meatballs, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan for $11.50) and the Whig (truffle oil, mushroom, onion, spinach, roasted garlic, risotto, and mozzarella for $11.50). Both were excellent.

Our total before tip was $31.57, which included two small salads, a pizza, and two draft beers (Philip enjoyed both their house-brewed beer as well as the Wicket Weed stout that he tried). The service has always been friendly here and the food is great. It’s a hike down to Dalton, but it’s worth it to try the pizza and beer at Cherokee Brewing and Pizza Company.

Cherokee Brewing and Pizza Company is located at 207-B West Cuyler Street, Dalton, GA, 30720. It’s toward the back of the building so you have to walk around the corner before you see it. They are open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Sunday. You can call Cherokee Brewing and Pizza Company at (706) 529-9478. For more information, you can check out their website, cherokeebrewingandpizzaco.com and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

517 Subs is a popular sandwich shop on Signal Mountain that has been around for years and serves basic but delicious sandwiches.

What is it about a great sandwich that is so sublime? Sandwiches are just simple lunchbox fare, after all. How many sandwiches have we eaten in our lives and not given a second thought to? In a world of PB&Js and ham sandwiches on squishy white bread, a sandwich might not sound like something that you would drive to the ends of the earth (or up the mountain) for.

Truth is, I don’t really love sandwiches. I mean, I like sandwiches, and when they’re served to me I’m happy to eat them. The instances of me taking a plain old sandwich of lunch meat on sliced bread this school year though? Zero. Zip. Zilch. There may have been a few turkey croissants but that’s pretty much the extent of my sandwich-packing.

We’ve been meaning to try out 517 Subs for a pretty long time now. I hadn’t really heard much about it until some friends who are fairly new Signal Mountain residents tried it out and told us that it was worth the drive to try it out. A recent rainy Saturday turned out to be “the day” and we headed up Taft Highway to give them a try.

The place was pretty empty when we arrived…a couple of employees doing cleaning and restocking tasks, one taking a break, and one behind the counter, plus another diner at a table. The decor is simple…not much beyond the tables and chairs and some retro board games framed on the wall. We got a laugh out of looking at the Disney’s Robin Hood game and the Beatles board game, among others.

I am decidedly a hot sub person. A BLT sub always sounds good, and it’s hard to pass up a meatball sub…but my sub order is almost always a steak and cheese (I may have declared my love for them at least once on here). I ordered a 6-inch steak and cheese on wheat bread ($4.25 plus $2.10 for chips and a drink) with onions and peppers. They ran out of onions, but I did get a couple of shreds of onions before she heated my sandwich. I dressed my sandwich basically, with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and salt and pepper. The steak and cheese here was very reminiscent of the steak and cheese subs that I used to order at Blimpie, back when it was a frequent haunt of mine…when they still existed in Chattanooga (I thought until a few months ago that there was still one in St. Elmo, when I discovered that it was gone when I tried to eat lunch there🤦🏻‍♀️). Their steak and cheese was always more like a pot roast sandwich than a Philly cheesesteak, and I always loved it. Thus, this steak and cheese was a throwback to my college years and I did indeed love it.
Unlike me, Philip is a cold sandwich lover, and he decided on the Italian – his standard sub shop order anytime it’s available (he’ll even order the Italian sub at Chuck E. Cheese’s, despite knowing from his years working in the CEC kitchen that the kitchen guys hate making sandwiches more than anything else). The Italian ($4.10 pre-combo) is made on your choice of bread (white, wheat, or rye, all baked fresh daily in the shop) with ham, salami, capicola (a cold cut made with cured pork shoulder), and provolone. Philip likes his Italian sub pretty heavily dressed and got his with lots of “stuff” on it. He said that it was a great Italian sub and commented on how good the bread was.
It wasn’t actually raining when we arrived, but by the time that we finished eating it was pouring rain and we had to hang out inside for a while since we had not brought our umbrella indoors. By that time there were quite a few other people in there – since it was getting closer to closing time, I assume that people were trying to get in before they closed. We hung out until the rain slacked off a bit then headed over to Pruett’s to check out what they had in the store.

If you’re looking for a good, basic but tasty sub, 517 Subs has you covered. The prices are definitely reasonable; the two of us had sandwiches, chips, and drinks for about $13.50. The staff was friendly, particularly the lady who made our sandwiches. There’s definitely something to be said for a great sandwich, and if you (like me) have been missing Blimpie, I’d recommend that you go here.

517 Subs is located at 1238 Taft Highway, Signal Mountain, Tennessee (in the Signal Plaza Shopping Center near Pruett’s). They are open Monday – Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can call 517 Subs at 423-517-7827 (that is, 517-SUBS). They do not have a website, but you can “like” 517 Subs on Facebook.

The English Rose Tea Room in downtown Chattanooga is a fun place to go for a tea time experience. They serve other classic British foods as well.

How many of you have had a place that you’ve wanted to try for years but every time you could have gone there you completely forgot about it? I’ll admit, that was the English Rose for me. When I was first teaching, the British mom of one of the kids in my class worked there part-time. She would come to pick up her daughter looking adorable in her skirt and apron, and I was always curious about this place that she worked. Later, as I became more interested in food and other cultures, I became more curious.

Here we are, though, almost 16 years later, and I’m just now writing about it. And that just because a friend who is still fairly new to town asked me about it, so we decided to go. I’m not sure why, it just never popped up on my radar when we were trying to decide where to go eat! It was more of a “we really need to go there sometime!” sort of place as we passed it on our way to another spot for lunch.

Stephanie and I arrived around 11:30 on a Thursday afternoon and found just a few other tables occupied (the place filled up a little later on before we left). We were led through a small shopping area to the dining area where we were seated and quickly greeted by our server. She talked to us briefly about the menu before leaving us to peruse and make our choices.

The English Rose serves a variety of menu items in addition to tea, mostly traditional British items. I would love to try their cottage pie sometime, and they also serve Cornish pasties, bangers and mash, and a few other classics. It’s a tea room, though, so Stephanie and I decided to go for the Victorian Tea for 2. Victorian Tea for 2 includes your choice of tea for each person, 8 assorted finger sandwiches, a scone for each person (plain, cranberry-almond, or another flavor that I can’t recall) served with clotted cream, raspberry jam, and lemon curd, cheese and crackers, and assorted English biscuits and pastries. The cost for the tea for 2 is $29.95.
Our server brought our our little teapots (I had Earl Grey creme and Stephanie had decaf English breakfast tea) and put a little cozy over them, which she said would keep the pots warm for three hours. I didn’t think to take a photo of the teapots themselves, but as you see, I did get a picture of the cozies. And they certainly did keep the pots warm! Even as I poured out the last of my tea, I had to be careful to not burn my hand!
The finger sandwiches included two each of cheese and tomato, salmon mousse, egg salad, and cucumber. I’m going to be honest, I just wasn’t wowed by any of the sandwiches except the cucumber. I love a good cucumber sandwich, and theirs was delicious! Stephanie chose a plain scone and I chose cranberry almond, and we both found our scones to be delicious with an excellent crumb. She seemed to prefer the raspberry jam on her scones, while I could have licked the little bowl of lemon curd (which they sell jars of in their shop) clean.

There wasn’t much to say about the cheese and crackers except…they were cheese and crackers. As for the biscuits and pastries (biscuits here referring to cookies, of course), there were two chocolate cookies, two shortbread cookies, and two small pieces of Bakewell tart. I found the thick little chocolate cookies to be a little meh, but the shortbread was good and the Bakewell tart was excellent (if you’d like to make Bakewell tart at home, I have a recipe!).
The staff at The English Rose were very sweet and helpful. Our server was very attentive, and I regret that I didn’t get her name. The atmosphere is cute, with muzak playing in the background (Lorde as muzak!) and photos of the Downton Abbey cast hanging up around the dining area (I miss that show soooo much!). We enjoyed browsing the little shop, where you can buy children’s tea sets, tea cups, assorted English foods, and even your own little teapot cozy! The lady who rang us up told us that they will be moving soon and to pay attention to their Facebook page for more information. The English Rose Tea Room is definitely a place to go for an experience (though I will admit that I, having never been to England, cannot speak to its authenticity). Just be sure to feed your meter enough quarters so you don’t end up with a parking ticket like I did!

The English Rose Tea Room is located at 1401 Market Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37402. They are open Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can call them at 423-265-5900. For more information, you can check out their website, englishrosetearoom.net or like The English Rose Tea Room on Facebook.